busyUS Troops in Georgia; Russia Not Backing Down
Ellen Barry and C.J. Chivers, The New York Times: "President Dmitri Medvedev of Russia on Thursday said that Russia would act as an international guarantor of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the two pro-Russian enclaves at the center of the crisis that have long desired separation from Georgia. As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice headed to the region for discussions on the crisis and to show support for Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, the Russian position seemed to be a direct challenge to President Bush who said a day earlier that he 'insists that the sovereign and territorial integrity of Georgia be respected'.... On Wednesday, the United States and Georgia called the Russian advances into Gori and another strategic Georgian city a violation of the cease-fire agreement struck only hours earlier. In response, Mr. Bush sent American troops to Georgia to oversee a 'vigorous and ongoing' humanitarian mission, in a direct challenge to Russia's display of military dominance over the region. Mr. Bush demanded that Russia abide by the cease-fire and withdraw its forces or risk its place in 'the diplomatic, political, economic and security structures of the 21st century.' It was his strongest warning yet of potential retaliation against Russia over the conflict."
It's good to see someone sticking up for a sovereign nation's right to integrity. On the other hoof, I'm not convinced that American aid will do more good than harm. On the third hoof, I'm edgy about possibly getting American troops into yet another war zone, because fighting on multiple fronts wears down a military super fast. And on the fourth hoof, American/Russian relations have been dicey for a long time; I'm not sure how much worse this will make it, or whether the etiquette reminder might actually do some good.
August 15 2008, 03:36:53 UTC 12 years ago
The fourth hoof is this - there are ethnic Russians living in this South Osseetia place which think of it as Russia (no, it isn't as simple as "there's the boundary"). The Georgians kind of sort of sent in troops to several Russian villages. The Russians kind of sort of waded in to protect their own folk. And none of it would have been possible without covert backing for Georgia's actions from the US in teh first place - because without that backing Georgia wouldn't have poked the bear in the first place.
Wars are messy but this is how they start. And then usually teh US wades in somewhere on the wrong side and too late and makes things worse for everybody.
August 15 2008, 03:45:37 UTC 12 years ago
A couple other things to keep in mind: 1) Georgia contends that most of the "ethnic Russians" in the contested region(s) have passports identifying them as such ... dated within the last year or so. If true, that lends some credence to their "setup" argument; so does Russia's rapid penetration past that region. 2) The ethnic Russians in Georgia could simply have moved into Russia if they wanted to be part of that nation, rather than trying to hack off a piece of a very small nation and take it with them. I know, nobody ever wants to do that, but it's still a more sensible course than starting a war.
August 15 2008, 03:58:06 UTC 12 years ago
That's simplifying it, too. As far as they might have been concerned they already WERE in Russia.
And, um, about changing every few decades... not precisely, either.
I COME from eastern Europe. I know a little something about the boundaries that have recently "changed" there. I don't know ALL the details about the current kerfuffle in Ossetia, but if it is anything like the situation in Yugoslavia... well... let's not get into that particular topic. It's still a deep and bitter wound.
August 15 2008, 04:05:18 UTC 12 years ago
Eh ... likely that's how they saw it.
There are just so many places with these little (or not so little) bunches of people, who can't seem to stop hating each other and yet won't stay apart. The same ugly little dance, generation after generation. I have my fondness, in a way, for both Georgians and Russians. But black gods, I just about want to spank the lot of them, sometimes, and tell them to go sit in opposite corners if they can't play nice.
August 15 2008, 04:39:04 UTC 12 years ago
O_O
August 15 2008, 04:52:12 UTC 12 years ago
See, this is why I hesitate to encourage America to get involved. The ideal is sound, but they don't know how to follow it. And McCain is terminally clue-impaired.
Re: O_O
August 15 2008, 05:02:55 UTC 12 years ago
John, your mouth is moving. You might want to look to that.
Re: O_O
August 15 2008, 05:07:00 UTC 12 years ago
Deleted comment
August 15 2008, 15:09:33 UTC 12 years ago